Tail-light and traffic-signal for automobiles.



G. A/ROBINSON 6; F. GRINHAM. TAIL LIGHT AND TRAFFIG SIGNAL FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.23,1911,

Patented June 27, 1911.

Inventor:

' GJLROBINSON Fem-NH M W yawn zuv fAms hand side thereof.

. corner ofsaid lamp is p-re UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE A. ROBINSON AND FBEDBIGK GRI'NHME,

or s3. LOUIS, mrss'omu.

TAIL-LIGHT AND TRAFFIC-SIGNAL FOB AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent. Application filed January 23,

1911. Serial momma.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, Gnonon A. Ronmsos and FREDRIOK GRINHAM, citizens of the United States, and residents of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tail-Lights and Traffic Signals for Automobiles, of which the following is aspecification containing a full, clear,.and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a. part hereof.

Our invention relates to an improved tail light and traffic signal for automobiles, and consists in the novel construction and rangenient of parts hereinafter described and pointed out in the claim.

The object of our invention is to provide an improved tail light and t-raflic signal for automobiles, which will prevent rear collisions in city streets.

In the drawings. Figure isa side elevation of a common automobile, with parts broken away, and having pur invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a sectional detail plan view of the rear portion of a vehicle aving our improved automatic tail light applied thereto; Fig. 3 is a sectional side e evation of the. arts shown in Fi 2; and Fig. 4 is a rear e eva tion of the tai light in its normal position. 7

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings the automobile is provide with the usual foot or hand brake lever 1, from which extends the usual connections 2 and 3 to the brake 1 on the rear wheels 5, the connections bein' .uch that whenever the operating lever 1 moved forward the usual rock shaft 6 is partly rotated; Mounted onsaid rock shaft 6 in the usual manner is an ordinary pivotally connected. The rear end of the light rod 8 is pivotally connected to the cranlr the lower endof the ver- 10, which latter is mounted in a bearing 11, carried b the rear end of the bracket12. The b?" c et 12; is fixed u on the rear portion of the vehicle by suita le bolts or rivets, so that the. light or lamp 13 will be carried of the vehicle body,

arm 9, fixed upon tical lamp journal preferab y near the left The lamp 13 may be of any ordinary construction, with the exception that it has the f. arnal 10 fixed at its low? -end,"and one rounded short crank arm 7, to which the forward endof a tail light rod 8 is ill".

closely adiacent the rearpermits t the lamp is off, as indicated at 14, so that the lamp thereby be operated closer to the body of vehicle. The interior of the lamp is of ordinary construction, with the usual concave reflector and lighting attachment, which may be either an oil lamp or so plied with as or electricity.

Suitable sto ject downwar 1y from the ody of the lamp and come in contact with the edges of the bracket 12, to limit the movement of the lamp;

The light rod 8 is preferably provided with a yielding section intermediate of the crank arms 7 and E), for the purpose of permitting the said light rod to more a greater distance forward or back than is necessary to set the tail light during operation, thereby preventing possible breakage of said pins 15 and 16. This yielding connection in' the rod 8 permits the brake lever 1 to be moved a greater distance than is necessary to o e'rate the tail light, and thereby e brake connections to become reason of wear, withmay the the com aratively slack by outinterfering with the active operation ofthe tail light. section of the light rod known manner, have sho 11 (see Fig. tionswit a coiled spring ends of the sections. It will be understood that the said yielding as shown, permits sai .rod to'both push and pull the lamp to operate the same.

The lamp'13 is rovided with two faces, on one of 'which'is printed, or ainted as in the present case the number 0 the automobile' license, 1911, while on the'adjacent face is printed thetraflic si al Sto Ourdevice may time as at night.

The operation is as follows: The normal osition of the parts isfthat indicated in igs. 1, 2 and 3 of'thedrawing,

positioned,""'with the signal The said 'yieldin 8 may be provi but in the present case we 2) the rodin two seesection of the ro Stop" out of y in the rear, but 19 11 in plain view of drivers who are at the rear of the vehicle carrying the signal. When the driver desires to stop, he presses his foot upon the brake lever 1 (or operates the brake lever with his hands if it be a hand brake), thereby moving said lever, rotatin the rock haft 6, throw ingthe crank arm. orward, and'sach movement carries and'is of course fitted pins orlugts 15 and 16 pro-.

be used as we 1 in the ay the real e cit-vision of drivers;

,with t e automobile number Patented June 27, 19-11.

ed in any 17 connecting the forward also the light rod 8 and the crank cla m:

arm 9 of the lamp, thereby rotati'n 'the1ouri ht traffic-signal for vehicles, comnal 10 of the lamp and correspon ingl ro- V H rnkedever, abrake, a tail-light tating the lamp upon its hrackq anti t '5 p v unted in the rear of the vehicle, I 5 movement will continue until= 2. 4i mud-pulling rod connecting the 16 comes. in contact with the udja of the said bracket 12, when the lamp will stand in such position that the signal Stop will be exhibited to the drivers in the rear, and theywill thereupon slo their vehicles prom tly and prevent possib e rear collisions. hen the drirer releases the brakesfthey return to their normal position c nnection, a braclget upon which s: a iglit is rotatably'f mounted, and stop-pi projectingdownwardly from said lain to contact withsttid bracket and thereliinit the movement-"of the said tail-light.

In testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification, in presence of (by the usual means and in the usual mantwo subscribing witnesses. 15 4 net), and the light rod 8 causes the lamp to GEORGE X ROBINQOY return to its normal position to exhibit the FREDRIGK S automobile number '1911 in the rear, while the signal Sto will be exhibited .at the side of the vehlcle, out of View of drivers 20 in the rear.

\Vitnesses:

E. L. \VALLACE, JOHN C. HIGDON.

'ht' and the said brake-lever by a 

